Financial Ability Requirments
Financial requirements for Canada Family Class Sponsorship for those residing in Canada (excluding Quebec):
A Sponsor must demonstrate a level of income that meets the minimum necessary income or low-income cutoff (LICO) for a given family size, as established by Statistics Canada. The Sponsor is freed from this requirement if:
- - The individual requiring sponsorship is the spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the Canadian Sponsor; or
- - The individual requiring sponsorship is the dependent child of the Canadian Sponsor.
To determine if the Sponsor's total income is sufficient, deduct the following from the total family income:
-
- Workmen's compensation board payments, except for permanent disabilities;
-
- Payments from provincial or municipal sources for welfare assistance;-
-
Payments from federal, provincial or municipal sources for employment training, or for any social or welfare benefits which are not of a fixed and continuing nature; and
-
- All debts.
The resulting amount must exceed the minimum income levels shown in this chart:
Size of Family Unit |
Minimum necessary income |
1 Person (the Sponsor) |
$21,202 |
2 Persons |
$26,396 |
3 Persons |
$32,450 |
4 Persons |
$39,399 |
5 Persons |
$44,686 |
6 Persons |
$50,397 |
7 Persons |
$56,110 |
Each additional person |
$5,713 |
If the Sponsor is unable to demonstrate a financial ability to provide for essential needs, his or her spouse, common-law partner, or conjugal partner may act as a co-signer, if:
-
- Their combined income meets the minimum necessary income; and
-
The co-signer meets all the other sponsorship requirements of a valid Sponsor.
Financial requirements for Canada Family Class Sponsorship for those residing in Quebec:
A Canadian Sponsor must demonstrate a level of income that meets the minimum income for a given family size, as established by the Quebec government in the chart below. The Sponsor is free from this requirement if:
-
- The individual requiring sponsorship is the spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner of the Canadian Sponsor; or
-
The individual requiring sponsorship is the dependent child of a Canadian Sponsor.
The Sponsor must be able to prove a steady income and one that has consistently exceeded the low income cutoff over the last 12 months.
Basic needs of Sponsor and Dependent Persons:
Number of dependent persons |
Gross annual income of Sponsor |
0 |
$19,421 |
1 |
$26,218 |
2 |
$32,369 |
3 |
$37,227 |
4 |
$41,433 |
Each additional dependent |
$4,205 |
Basic needs of Sponsored Person(s):
Persons 18 and over |
Persons under 18 |
Annual gross amount required by sponsor |
0 |
1 |
$6,724 |
0 |
2 |
$10,655 |
The annual gross amount required is increased by $3,552 for each additional person under 18
1 |
0 |
$14,207 |
1 |
1 |
$19,088 |
1 |
2 |
$21,552 |
The annual gross amount required is increased by $2,462 for each additional person under 18.
2 |
0 |
$20,832 |
2 |
1 |
$23,338 |
2 |
2 |
$25,192 |
The annual gross amount required is increased by $1,850 for each additional person under 18 and by $6,623 for each additional person over 18.